What really matters to you? What brings you joy?
Even when you're afraid, or when someone has hurt your feelings really bad... what is the one thing you can think about that will always make you happy again?
In the Bible, the Apostle Paul had one thing that absolutely mattered the most to him. Do you know what it was? God was his Number One Priority and teaching others about Jesus made him super happy.
That's easy to understand, until you look at some of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad things that Paul suffered because of his teaching. Here's just a few:
- He was in and out of prison for 4 years
- He beaten with rods 3 times
- He received 39 lashes with a whip 5 different times
- He was stoned and left for dead
- He was shipwrecked at sea 3 times
- He was in constant danger from both Jews and Gentiles
- He was often weary and in pain
- He went days without sleep
- He was hungry and thirsty, cold and naked
Paul had it rough. All the time he was preaching, Paul had lots and lots of reasons to be unhappy or feel sorry for himself.
During one of the times Paul was in prison, some preachers who were jealous of him started saying bad things about him, criticizing him, trying to ruin his reputation and his ministry. When Paul found out about it, what do you think he did? What would you do?
When people are mean or criticize us we either get mad and defend ourselves or maybe we just feel sad and give up.
But not Paul!
After all he had been through – chained and in prison – he said “What Does It Matter? I'm not gonna let anybody steal my joy! You know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna rejoice and then I'm gonna just keep on rejoicing!”
He rejoiced! With all the horrible stuff happening to him, Paul still found a reason to be joyful. His focus was never on himself... it was on Jesus. What did it matter if he was in prison? He was still free to worship God and spread the Good News. What did it matter if others criticized him and spread rumors about him? His priority was to make God happy. Paul lived to fulfill God's purpose for his life.
No one on earth could steal his joy because Paul's joy came from Heaven.
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